Ellison to Replace Smith in West End's LEGALLY BLONDE?

Actress Jennifer Ellison is in "talks and talks" to take on the role of Elle Woods in the West End production of LEGALLY BLONDE, The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye reports.  Ellison would replace SheriDan Smith, who is currently playing the role and is to leave in September or October. 

Jennifer Ellison is currently on tour as Celia in CALENDAR GIRLS.  Her other theatre credits include CHICAGO (Roxie), BOEING BOEING (Gloria), LIVERPOOL NATIVITY (Angel), CINDERELLA, and THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.  On film, she played Meg Giry in 'The Phantom of the Opera' and appeared in the British horror film 'The Cottage.'  On television, she played Emily Shadwick in 'Brookside.' 

In LEGALLY BLONDE, college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods doesn't take no for an answer. So when her boyfriend Warner (Richard Fleeshman) dumps her for someone serious, Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and heads for Harvard Law! Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winning Jerry Mitchell, LEGALLY BLONDE has music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, book by Heather Hach, set design by David Rockwell, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller, sound design by ACME Sound Partners, and orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke.

The full cast since 16 June is SheriDan Smith (Elle Woods), Richard Fleeshman (Warner Huntington II), Jill Halfpenny (Paulette), Peter Davison (Professor Callahan) and Alex Gaumond (Emmett) who are joined by Emma Bateman (Stenographer), Dan Burton (Padamadan, Nikos), Darren Carnall (Kiki), Chris Ellis-Stanton (Grandmaster Chad, Dewey, Kyle), Nadine Higgin (Judge, Saleswoman), Ibinabo Jack (Pilar), Caroline Keiff (Vivienne Kensington), Amy Lennox (Margot), Suzie McAdam (Enid), Andy Mace (Dad, Winthrop, Reporter), Susan McFadden (Serena), Matthew McKenna (Aaron), Sorelle Marsh (Courtney, Mom, Whitney), Aoife Mulholland (Brooke), Sean Mulligan (Pforzheimer), Roxanne Palmer (Kate, Chutney), Sergio Priftis (Carlos), Tamara Wall (District Attorney) and Ed White (Lowell), as well as Fabian Aloise, Francis Haugen, Jane McMurtrie, Sherrie Pennington and Lucy Miller as swings.

Legally Blonde The Musical is produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions, Robert G. Bartner, Ambassador Theatre Group, Bud Martin, Adam Zotovich, Jamie Hendry Productions, Matthew Byam Shaw and ACT Productions.

For tickets and more information, visit www.legallyblondethemusical.co.uk.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi